Same but different: how Xi and China welcomed Trump and Putin

China welcomed Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin with highly choreographed ceremonies featuring military bands, honour guards, and youths waving national flags. The welcomes were designed to mirror each other to demonstrate Beijing’s capacity to host leaders from Washington and Moscow with equal grandeur. Differences were also emphasized: Trump was met by China’s vice-president, while Putin was greeted by a sitting member of the politburo. Kremlin officials denied that the visits were meant to be compared, citing separate planning timelines. Russian state media framed the contrast as Putin being treated as an ally and Trump as a rival. Despite the pageantry, both summits produced limited concrete progress, including minimal movement on Nvidia chip exports and tariffs.

"China also made sure the differences were noticed. Trump was met at the airport by China's vice-president, a largely ceremonial role outside the Communist party's real power structure, while Putin was welcomed by a sitting member of the politburo, the party's top decision-making body, a subtle signal that China sees Moscow as a trusted partner of an emerging non-western world order led by Beijing."

"The Kremlin appeared sensitive to the comparisons. Its spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, dismissed suggestions that the two visits were being measured against each another, insisting they should not be viewed through the prism of rivalry. The senior Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov stressed that Putin's visit to meet Xi Jinping had been planned long before Trump's trip to Beijing."

"Even if Moscow insisted the two visits should not be compared, the message in Russia's state press was clear. The Russian newspaper Argumenty i Fakty wrote that Putin was being received in Beijing as an ally and reliable partner while Trump had been treated as a rival and competitor from whom anything can be expected."

"Behind the lavish ceremonies, both visits produced relatively modest results. While Trump and Xi projected an image of cooperation, their summit yielded few concrete breakthroughs, with little progress on key disputes over Nvidia chip exports and tariffs."

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